Device for a milking stall

ABSTRACT

A device is proposed for a milking stall ( 1 ) with at least one milking position ( 2 ) for an animal ( 3 ) and with at least one milking equipment which comprises a milking member ( 4,5 ) arranged to being attached to an animal for milking thereof. The device comprises a cabinet ( 9 ) which defines an inner space. The cabinet is arranged to comprise a driving arrangement for a remover ( 14 ), arranged to remove the milking member ( 4,5 ) from the animal ( 3 ) after the milking is finished, and an operating panel ( 11 ) which the milking equipment is controlled. The driving arrangement is positioned in the cabinet ( 9 ) at least at one of two predetermined driving positions which are adapted to a first operating position and a second operating position, respectively, of the cabinet in said stall ( 1 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device for a milking stall.

In a conventional milking stall, there is a milking equipment with a lotof different components. These components comprise usually a milkingmember in the form of a number of teatcups which may be connected to acommon claw, a long milk conduit connecting the claw to amilk-collecting member and to a vacuum source for transferring a milkingvacuum to the teats, a holding member, or a so called service arm, forholding and supporting the long milk conduit, a pulsator arranged toprovide a pulsating vacuum for a pulsating chamber in each teatcup, aremover for removing the milking member from the teats after the milkingis finished, a control unit for controlling the vacuum level of themilking equipment and an operating panel for supervising and controllingof the milking procedure and the milking equipment. It is thereby knownto provide these different components at different locations in themilking stall.

It is also known to provide at least some of these components in acabinet in order to protect them and have them easily accessible at onesingle location. However, such a cabinet reduces the flexibility becauseit is more difficult to adapt the milking equipment to different stallconfigurations. Such stall configurations comprise, for instance, acentrally provided milking parlour with a plurality of animal positionsprovided at two sides of the parlour. In this case, such a cabinet mustbe adapted to be mounted on both the sides, which in practice impliesthat the cabinet must be manufactured in different variants for beinglocated at different operating positions in the milking stall.Furthermore, for ergonomical reasons, it is sometimes desirable toprovide the milking equipment in a so called “split configuration”, i.e.in such a way that the remover, the pulsator, the indicating lamp etc.of one milking equipment are located at one animal, while the operatingpanel of this equipment is located at the animal at the adjacentposition. In that way, it is possible for the operator, standing in acomfortable working position, to operate the milking member by the righthand and at the same time use the left hand to serve the operatingpanel. Also in this case, the cabinet must be manufactured in aplurality of different variants. It is to be noted that the remover,which comprises a driving member and a cord extending between thedriving member and the milking member, must be located at a determinedposition in the milking stall in relation to the animal to be milked topermit the milking member to be removed from the teats of the animal ina simple way.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Consequently, when according to prior art it is desired to satisfy theneed of different stall configurations, it is necessary to utilize manydifferent cabinet parts for being able to manufacture such cabinets in aplurality of different variants. Therefore, the manufacture iscomplicated and expensive. It is also not practically possible to changeafterwards a cabinet to be suitable to another stall configuration thanthe one intended originally.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to remedy the above-mentionedproblems and to provide a device which makes it possible, in a moreflexible way, to collect a number of components of a milking equipmentin one cabinet. More closely, it is aimed at such a cabinet which may bebuilt of a small number of common parts for being located at differentoperating positions in the milking stall.

This object is achieved by the device initially defined andcharacterized in that the driving arrangement is provided to bepositioned in the cabinet at different positions of at least twopredetermined driving positions which are adapted to a first operatingposition and a second operating position, respectively, of the cabinetin said stall. By preparing, in this manner, the cabinet for two drivingpositions, the same cabinet can be used at different operating positionsin the milking stall. Furthermore, it is possible, at all differentoperating positions, to obtain a pulling direction favourable for thedriving arrangement, i.e. the milking member may always be pulled off ina suitable direction. For example, the same cabinet may be used for alocation at two opposite sides of the milking parlour.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the driving arrangementcomprises a driving member and an elongated element, such as a cord, awire, a chain or the like, which element is provided to connect thedriving member to said milking member, and furthermore, the drivingarrangement comprises a guide member provided to guide the path of theelongated element.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the cabinetcomprises a first attachment member, which is provided for the mountingof the cabinet in the milking stall and provided horizontally atdistance from a horizontal center line through the cabinet, and a secondattachment member provided to position the driving member in one of saidtwo driving positions in the inner space of the cabinet, in such amanner that said center line intersects the driving member. In this way,the driving member will retain its position in the cabinet at both theoperating positions. Furthermore, the cabinet, horizontally seen, mayadvantageously be elongated with two opposite ends, wherein the firstattachment member is provided in the vicinity of one of the ends and theother attachment member is provided in the vicinity of the other end.Thereby, a certain distance may be secured between the attachment pointof the cabinet and the pulling point of the driving member, in such amanner that the driving member is able to pull out the milking member toa desired position after milking.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the cabinetcomprises a wall portion which is arranged to be mountable in one of afirst turning position, in which the wall portion extends essentiallyvertically and is adapted to the first operating position, and a secondturning position, in which the wall portion likewise extends essentiallyvertically but is turned 180° from its first turning position and isadapted to the second operating position. Furthermore, the cabinet maycomprise a top portion and a bottom portion, which are mountable at thewall portion. The guide member may comprise a passage through the bottomportion for the elongated element. Thereby, each of the top portion andthe bottom portion may be mountable at the wall portion in a firstrotational position which is adapted to the first operating position andin a second rotational position, in which the top portion or the bottomportion is horizontally rotated essentially 180° in relation to thefirst rotational position, wherein the second rotational position isadapted to the second operating position.

According to further embodiments of the present invention, the devicealso comprises an indicating lamp which is arranged to indicate whenmilking is going on and provided on the bottom portion, and a doorportion arranged to close the inner space of the cabinet in an openablemanner, wherein the operating panel is arranged on the door portion.Furthermore, the cabinet may comprise means for a pivotable suspensionof the door portion along two opposite side edges of the door portionand the door portion may be suspendable with the aid of said means onone side edge when the cabinet is in the first operating position andsuspendable with the aid of said means along a second side edge when thecabinet is in the second operating position.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the milking stallcomprises a first milking position and a first milking equipment, and asecond milking position and a second milking equipment, wherein thedriving member of the first milking equipment and the operating panel ofthe second milking equipment are received by the cabinet for the firstmilking equipment. Thereby, it is possible to arrange the cabinet of theinvention in a so called “split configuration”, which means that theoperator in an ergonomically correct way may handle the milking memberby one hand and control the milking process by the other hand via thecontrol panel.

According to further embodiments of the present invention, it alsocomprises a control unit, arranged to enable the control of the vacuumlevel of the milking equipment and provided in the inner space of thecabinet, a pulsator provided in the inner space of the cabinet, apassage provided in the bottom portion for a vacuum conduit arranged toextend between the pulsator and the milking member, a passage providedin the top portion for a vacuum conduit arranged to extend between thecontrol unit and a vacuum source of the milking equipment, and a memberprovided in the top portion for the supply of fresh air to the innerspace of the cabinet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is now to be explained more closely by means ofdifferent embodiments shown by way of example and with reference to theattached drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a device according to the presentinvention at a milking position in a milking stall.

FIG. 2 shows an open cabinet of the device in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a wall portion of the cabinet of thedevice in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a view from above of the wall portion in FIG. 3 togetherwith a door portion suspended on the wall portion.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a top portion of the cabinet of thedevice in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a bottom portion of the cabinet ofthe device in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 shows a view from above of the device according to the inventionin different stall configurations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DIFFERENT EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows the device according to the invention in a milking stall 1at a milking position 2 where a cow 3 is present and is milked. Forperforming the milking, the milking stall 1 comprises a milkingequipment which comprises a lot of different components. It is to benoted that only some of the components necessary for the milking areshown in FIG. 1. For example, no vacuum pump is shown. The milkingequipment shown in FIG. 1 comprises a milking member with a claw 4 andfour teatcups 5 connected to the claw and each being attached to a teatof the cow 3. From the claw 4, a long milk conduit 6 extends to a milkflow meter 7 and from there to a milk transporting conduit 8.Furthermore, in FIG. 1 a cabinet 9 is shown, which comprises furthercomponents of the milking equipment. The cabinet 9 is attached to a wallarrangement 10 which forms a limit between the milking stall and amilking parlour in which the operator performing the milking ispositioned. The cabinet 9 is attached by means of attachment members tobe described more in detail below in connection with the description ofFIG. 4. The cabinet 9 comprises an operating panel 11 which is providedon a door portion 12 of the cabinet 9. In FIG. 2, the cabinet 9 is shownwithout the door portion and thereby the components appear which areprovided in the inner space of the cabinet 9. For removing the milkingmember from the teats of the cow 3 after the milking is finished, adriving arrangement is provided, which comprises a driving member 13housed in the cabinet 9. The driving member 13 comprises a pneumaticpower cylinder which through an elongated element of the drivingarrangement, in the embodiment disclosed a cord 14, is connected to theclaw 4. The cabinet 9 also houses a control unit 15 by which the vacuumlevel of the milking equipment may be kept on and adjusted to a suitablelevel. The control unit 15 is via a vacuum conduit 16 connected to asystem vacuum conduit 17. The control unit 15 is also connected to thepneumatic power cylinder of the driving member 13 and via a passageconnected to a pulsator 19 which is arranged to provide a pulsatingvacuum for a pulsating chamber of each of the teatcups 5. The pulsatingchambers of the teatcups 5 are via two pulsating conduits 20 connectedto the pulsator 19. The long milk conduit 6 and the pulsating conduits20 form together a bundle of conduits, which is held and supported by asupport member 21 fixedly provided at the wall arrangement 10 and shapedas an arm protruding from the wall arrangement 10. The support member 21is also arranged to support and guide the cord 14. Furthermore, themilking equipment comprises a fresh air conduit 22 which is connected toa fresh air channel 23 and arranged to supply fresh air to the innerspace of the cabinet 9. Furthermore, in FIG. 1 a cleaning device 24 isdisclosed, which has means for receiving the teatcups 5 after themilking is finished and for the supply of cleaning liquid to theteatcups 5 and the claw 4 via a cleaning conduit 25. Finally, in FIG. 1a system conduit 26 is shown for different connections to, for instance,an electric current supply and an overall control system. A branchingconduit 27 from the system conduit 26 leads, as shown in FIG. 2, intothe inner space of the cabinet 9 and is connected to a connectingterminal 18 which in turn is connected to the operating panel 11. Fromthe operating panel 11, connections extend to different components ofthe cabinet 9.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a wall portion 28 of the cabinet 9. The wall portion28 is shaped like a sweep which extends around a great part of thecabinet 9 and encloses its inner space. Consequently, the wall portion28 is produced by essentially one piece of a sheet. In the inner spaceof the cabinet 9, two attachment members 29 are provided at the wallportion 28, for example welded to a support sheet 30 which is attachedto the wall portion 28. The attachment members 29 may certainly also beattached in another way, for example by rivet or screw connections. Theattachment members 29 comprise a sheet strip arranged to extend aroundthe driving member 13 and to be tightened against the driving member 13by for example a screw connection 3 indicated in FIG. 4. Furthermore,the wall portion 28 comprises a number of mounting members 32 which forexample are welded to the wall portion and by means of which, thecontrol unit 15 and the pulsator 19 may be mounted in the inner space ofthe cabinet 9. As appears from FIG. 3, the mounting members 32 areprovided symmetrically with respect to a horizontal center axis x. Thismeans, if the wall portion 28 is turned upside-down the control unit 15and the pulsator 19 may be arranged in the same way as shown in FIG. 2in the turned cabinet 9, i.e. beneath the connecting terminal 18. Theattachment members 29 are likewise provided identically andsymmetrically with respect to the center axis x which consequently willintersect the driving member 13. Consequently, the driving member 13 maybe provided into two opposite directions in the wall portion 28 in sucha manner that the end from which the cord 14 extends always will pointdownwardly irrespective of the direction the cabinet 9. Furthermore, twoattachment members 33 are provided at the wall portion 28 for theattachment of the cabinet 9 to the wall arrangement 10. As appears fromFIG. 4, the attachment hole 34 of the attachment members 33 are providedbeside a vertical plane p, which extends through the cabinet 9 and thewall portion 28. As appears from FIGS. 3 and 4, the door portion 12 ispivotably attached to the wall portion 28 by means of two hinges 35attached to the wall portion 28 at which a rod is attached. The rodextends through one of two passages 12 a which each extends along one ofthe longitudinal side edges of the door portion 12. The door portion 12is furthermore lockable by locking members not shown, which are providedin holes 36 in a C-shaped edge portion 37 of the wall portion 28. Asappears from FIG. 4, the wall portion 28 comprises two such paralleledge portions 37. Each edge portion 37 comprises two holes 36. The rodof the hinges 35 is furthermore releasably attached in such a mannerthat it may be moved from one side edge of the door portion 12 to theother opposite side edge, which means that the door portion 12,irrespective of in which direction it is being open, always may have theoperating panel 11 provided in its lower part. As appears in FIG. 4, thecabinet 9 has, seen horizontally, an elongated shape with the attachmentholes 34 in the vicinity of one end and the attachment members 29 of thedriving member 13 in the vicinity of the other end. Consequently, if thecabinet 9 is turned upside-down, the attachment holes 34 willconsequently be located on the other side of the vertical center planep, with respect to the configuration shown in FIG. 4. Likewise, theattachment members 29 of the driving member 13 will be moved from sideof plane p as shown to the opposite side.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a top portion 38 which delimits theinner space of the cabinet 9 upwardly. The top portion 38 comprises apassage 39 for the branching conduit 27 and possibly a set of cables, asecond passage 40 for the fresh air conduit 22 and a third passage 41for the vacuum conduit 16. FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a bottomportion 42 arranged to delimit the inner space of the cabinet 9downwardly. The bottom portion 42 comprises an indicating lamp 43arranged to indicate when milking is going on. The driving arrangementcomprises guide means for guiding the pulling path of the cord 14between the driving member 13 and the claw 4, i.e. except said supportmember 21 also a guide member in the shape of a first passage 44 throughthe bottom portion 42. Furthermore, the bottom portion 42 comprises twoother passages 45 for the pulsation conduits 20. Both the top portion 38and the bottom portion 42 are symmetrical in such a way that they may berotated 180° and consequently take two different rotational positions inrelation to the wall portion 28.

FIG. 7 shows the cabinet 9 according to the invention in four differentoperating positions in a milking stall 1 with four different milkingpositions 2, two on each side of a milking parlour. It is to be notedthat all conduits and cables, like the milk conduit 6 and the pulsatingconduits 20, have been omitted in FIG. 7, which however shows theextension of the cord 14. The cabinet 9 is mounted in a so calledleft-straight position at A. This means that the cabinet 9 is providedto the left in the milking stall seen in a cow's free walking directionthrough the milking stall 1. The fact that the cabinet 9 is mounted instraight position means that all components, which are housed orcomprised by the cabinet 9, belong to one and the same milking equipmentfor milking of a cow. At B, the cabinet 9 according to the invention ismounted in so called left-split position. This means, as at A, that thecabinet 9 is provided to the left, but also that the components of thecabinet 9 are shared by two different cows 3. In particular, this meansthat all components except the operating panel 11 relate to one milkingequipment while the operating panel 11 relates to the adjacent milkingequipment. At C and D, the cabinet 9 according to the invention isprovided in a corresponding way as at A and B, respectively, but on theright side. In FIG. 7, the support member 21 is shown in two positions,a milking position by continuous lines and a parlour position by brokenlines. The support member 21 comprises a spring element by which thesupport member 21 is forced to take the milking position. In thisposition, the milk conduit 6 and the pulsating conduits 20 are held in asuitable position during the milking and the milking member may easilybe pulled off the teat by the driving member 13 and the cord 14. Whenthe milking member has been pulled to a position against the supportmember 21, the continued pulling force of the driving member 13 which isapplied to the cord 14 will move the support member 21 to the parlourposition shown by broken lines, in which the teatcups 5 are easilyaccessible for cleaning and application to the next cow. According tothe invention, the cabinet 9 may thus be positioned at the fouroperating positions A-D without deterioration of the function of thesupport member 21. As furthermore appears from FIG. 7, the twoattachment holes 34 closest to a center line x are intended for theoperating positions B and D, while the two attachment holes 34 farthestaway from the center line x are intended for the operating positions Aand C. The attachment members 33 are thereby mounted on an arm 46provided turnably to the wall arrangement 10. In the operating positionsB and D, the horizontal center axis x is essentially parallel to the arm46 and in the operating positions A and D essentially perpendicular tothe arm 46.

The present invention is not restricted to the embodiments shown abovebut may be varied and modified within the scope of the following claims.The driving member 13 may be realized in other forms than a pneumaticpower cylinder, for example as a hydraulic one or as an engine which isdriven electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically. It is to be notedthat the cabinet 9 not necessarily needs to comprise all the componentsdisclosed and it may include further components, not shown.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for a milking stall configured toreceive an animal in at least one milking position, the stall having atleast one milking equipment comprising a milking member arranged to beattached to the animal for milking thereof, the device comprising: acabinet defining an inner space, the cabinet including a drivingarrangement to remove the milking member from the animal after themilking is finished; and an operating panel by which the milkingequipment is controllable, wherein the cabinet is positionable in thestall in a first operating position and a second operating position,wherein the driving arrangement is positionable in the cabinet in atleast a first predetermined driving position and a second predetermineddriving position, and wherein the first predetermined driving positionis adapted to the first operating position and the second predetermineddriving position is adapted to the second operating position.
 2. Adevice according to claim 1, wherein the driving arrangement comprises adriving member and a flexible elongated element, which element isprovided to connect the driving member to said milking member, and thatthe driving arrangement comprises a guide member provided to guide thepath of the elongated element.
 3. A device according to claim 2, whereinthe cabinet comprises a first attachment member, which is provided forthe mounting of the cabinet in the milking stall and locatedhorizontally at distance from a horizontal center line through thecabinet, and a second attachment member provided to position the drivingmember in one of said two driving positions in the inner space of thecabinet, in such a manner that said center line intersects the drivingmember.
 4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the cabinet, seenhorizontally, is elongated with two opposite ends and in that the firstattachment member is provided in the vicinity of one of the ends and theother attachment member is provided in the vicinity of the other end. 5.A device according to claim 2, wherein the guide member comprises apassage through the bottom portion for the elongated element.
 6. Adevice according to claim 2, wherein said elongated element is a cord.7. A device according to claim 2, wherein said elongated element is awire.
 8. A device according to claim 2, wherein said elongated elementis a chain.
 9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the cabinetcomprises a wall portion which is arranged to be mountable in one of afirst turning position, in which the wall portion extends essentiallyvertically and the cabinet is positioned in the first operatingposition, and a second turning position, in which the wall portionlikewise extends essentially vertically but is turned essentially 180°from its first turning position and the cabinet is positioned in thesecond operating position.
 10. A device according to claim 9, whereinthe cabinet comprises a top portion and a bottom portion, which aremountable at the wall portion.
 11. A device according to claim 10,wherein each of the top portion and the bottom portion is the wallportion in a first rotational position which is the first operatingposition and in a second rotational position, in which the top portionor the bottom portion is horizontally rotated essentially 180° inrelation to the first rotational position, wherein the second rotationalposition is the second operating position.
 12. A device according toclaim 10, further comprising an indicating lamp which is arranged toindicate when milking is going on and in that the indicating lamp isprovided on the bottom portion.
 13. A device according to claim 10,wherein the top portion comprises a member for the supply of fresh airinto the inner space of the cabinet.
 14. A device according to claim 1,wherein the cabinet comprises a door portion arranged to close the innerspace of the cabinet in an openable manner and that the operating panelis arranged on the door portion.
 15. A device according to claim 14,wherein the cabinet comprises means for a pivotable suspension of thedoor portion along two opposite side edges of the door portion and thatthe door portion is suspendable with the aid of said means on one sideedge when the cabinet is in the first operating position and suspendablewith the aid of said means along the second side edge when the cabinetis in the second operating position.
 16. A device according to claim 15,wherein the milking stall comprises a first milking position and a firstmilking equipment, and a second milking position and a second milkingequipment, and that the driving member of the first milking equipmentand the operating panel of the second milking equipment are received bythe cabinet for the first milking equipment.
 17. A device according toclaim 1, further comprising a control unit operatively coupled to themilking equipment to enable the control of the vacuum level therein andpositioned in the inner space of the cabinet.
 18. A device according toclaim 17, further comprising a pulsator operatively coupled to themilking equipment and provided in the inner space of the cabinet.
 19. Adevice according to claim 18, further comprising a vacuum conduit andthe bottom portion comprises at least one passage for permitting thevacuum conduit to extend between the pulsator and the milking member.20. A device according to claim 17, further comprising a vacuum conduitand a vacuum source the top portion comprises a passage for permittingthe vacuum conduit to extend between the control unit and the vacuumsource for the milking equipment.